ALTOONA – The UPMC Altoona Atrium was bustling with activity on March 14 at the first annual Spring Fling Basket Raffle, sponsored by Friends, the hospital’s auxiliary.
Hospital employees and visitors made their way around the tables of baskets trying to decide which they wanted to try their luck with, and luck was a common basket theme with St. Patrick’s Day just a few days away.
Gregg Weise, Friends’ ways and means co-chair, said he was very pleased with the results. Twenty baskets were donated by various hospital departments and groups.
Sally Young, Friends member and retired employee, said many of the prizes were worth several hundred dollars, some as much as $400.
Determined by number of entries, the most popular basket was a wicker patio furniture set and other patio accessories donated by Volunteer Services, Marketing and Communications, Foundation for Life and Community Education.
As Dana Kopera from the operating room dropped tickets into one of the bags, her co-workers joked that this was already her second time that day participating in the raffle.
“I’m just supporting a very good cause,” Dana said. Friends will hold another basket raffle in September.
